But Where to Put You
by ReadBooksWriteThings
Summary: But Where to Put You. This oneshot is the sorting of the Marauders, Lily and Snape. The sorting of 1971. Rated K plus for a brief mention of child abuse.


The Sorting Hat was proud to do its job. Every year it sorted the newcomers to Hogwarts into one of the four Hogwarts houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. The hat had always done its very best to sort the eleven-year-olds properly. It believed that it had never made a mistake in sorting. Ever.

So why should today be any different. It had been sorting students for years and years. The hat wondered what students he would get to see and sort this year, the year of 1971.

The hat sat on the four-legged stool as it always did and took the time to observe the frightened new students. It saw two black-haired boys whispering behind their hands and a group of kids chatting. The hat saw a red-haired girl talking excitedly to a boy with a pale face. It saw many students to sort.

One by one, the students finally seemed to notice the hat sitting not far from them. They pointed it out and whispered even louder amongst themselves. The hat listened as Minerva McGonagall introduced it to the crowd and motioned for it to sing.

And sing it did. For the thing the Sorting Hat loved most about the sorting ceremony was singing the song it had come up with over the past year. The song's end was met with some pleasant applause and the sorting finally began.

"Black, Sirius." said Minerva McGonagall and the hat watched as one of the two boys it had seen early walked up to the stage. He looked quite determined as opposed to nervous. He sat down and the hat was placed over his head.

_Another Black I see, _the hat said into the boy's head, _but you are not like the others._

_No, I'm not like them, _Sirius thought fiercely, _I never want to be anything like them._

The hat thought the young boy was quite right. He was nothing like the other Blacks it had sorted. He was courageous and loyal. Although he was very ambitious, the hat knew that Slytherin would not do him well.

_I do not think you belong in Slytherin._

_Really, _the hat knew its words had shocked the young boy.

Yes, I _believe Gryffindor would do you well, _the hat felt his words excite the Sirius,

_Oh yes, yes please. I would love to be Gryffindor, but… _his thoughts faltered and the hat saw images flash through the boy's mind. A woman was standing over him, a wand raised. He was being beaten up while a younger boy stood in the background, crying. And the hat understood,

_You would like to be in Gryffindor yet you do not want to bear the consequences. Am I correct?_

_Yes_

_I think you will do well in Gryffindor, no matter what your family thinks, _and the hat shouted out for all to hear, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius Black beamed, he was the first Black to be placed in Gryffindor, ever. But his radiant smile instantly vanished halfway to the Gryffindor table. All the Slytherins were whispering, laughing, smirking and pointing at him. He joined the Gryffindor table and slouched to avoid the glares of his Slytherin family.

The hat then sorted a tall girl into Ravenclaw. It was a very easy sorting; the girl was smart and was bursting with thoughts.

"Evans, Lily." said Minerva McGonagall and the red-haired girl the hat had noticed earlier walked quickly to the stage. Her face seemed to glow with excitement. She sat down and the hat was lowered onto her head.

_There are many qualities you possess, _the hat said. For it was true, the young girl was bright, loyal, courageous and kind. She had all the qualities one ought to have.

_Wow, you can talk. I've never met a talking hat before!, _Lily was learning new things about the wizarding world every minute.

_Ah, you are muggle-born, I see._

_I am. Hogwarts is amazing. What house are you going to put me in? _She was very straightforward, showing no sign of nervousness.

_You would do well in Gryffindor. You are loyal and brave._

_That sounds wonderful. My best friend wanted me to be in Slytherin though, _she sounded eager yet a little disappointed.

_I am afraid you would not do well in Slytherin. In Gryffindor however, you will flourish and do great things._

_Oh. What other qualities do I have? _The hat had not met a student so inquisitive in quite some time.

_You are smart and creative like a Ravenclaw. Your kindness is a distinctive Hufflepuff trait. Although you are as determined as a Slytherin, you would not do good there. However, there is no question that Gryffindor is the house best suited for you._

_Thank you, _the hat knew that this young girl would go on to do wonderful things. And it shouted out to the Great Hall, "GRYFFINDOR!"

There was plenty of applause from the Gryffindor table. Lily grinned, handed the hat back to Minerva McGonagall and skipped happily towards the table at the left side of the hall. She gave the pale faced boy, whom she had been talking with a few minutes before, a little wave before sitting down at her new table.

The hat sorted a couple more students. Two girls went to Hufflepuff. Two boys then went to Ravenclaw and Slytherin respectively. Another boy beamed happily when he was made a Gryffindor.

"Lupin, Remus." said Minerva McGonagall. A young boy with a scar running down the length of his cheek slowly walked towards the hat. It noticed that the boy looked horribly pale and had his fists clenched tightly. Remus sat down and the hat was placed over his head.

_Hello there, _the hat thought into the boy's head, feeling his fright and immediately knowing why Remus was so scared.

_I'm a monster, I'm a monster, _he thought, unaware that the hat was listening, _I'll never be able to stay._

_You are not a monster, you just happen to have lycanthropy, _the hat felt the young werewolf start,

_You're not going to tell everyone? You're not going to send me back?_

_Of course not, why would I tell anyone?_

_Because I'm a monster._

_You are not. _The hat said kindly,_ Besides, Dumbledore has already made arrangements for you._

_I know, _Remus was silent for a while, then, _Which house are you going to put me in?_

The hat thought for a while, he had no ambition that a Slytherin would have and he was far too closed off to do well in Hufflepuff. Although he was very smart, the hat knew he was better suited for a different house, _You belong in Gryffindor._

_In Gryffindor?, _To say Remus was shocked would be an understatement, _But I am not brave._

_You are very brave. You have dealt with things that others can hardly imagine. Gryffindor will do you well._

_Really?, _Remus's heart soared.

_Yes, _the hat was very sure of its decision, and so it shouted out to the crowd, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus grinned as his new house applauded and walked over to the Gryffindor table. He sat down next to Sirius who was still trying to avoid the disappointed and angry glares of his family.

The hat sorted a girl into Gryffindor after a debate between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. It finally chose the former and she went to her new table happily. Then it sorted another girl into Slytherin, who seemed very pleased with her new house.

"Pettigrew, Peter." said Minerva McGonagall. A small boy with mousy brown hair and grey eyes walked nervously up to the hat. He sat down and the hat was placed over his head.

_Interesting, very interesting, _the hat said into the small boy's mind. For it was true, the hat had never sorted someone with these exact traits.

_Just put me in Hufflepuff okay, _the boy thought, _that's where everyone says I'll go._

_Hufflepuff? _The hat asked, surprised, _You certainly do not belong in Hufflepuff._

_Then where do I belong? _That was the question indeed. The hat itself was very confused. Slytherin or Gryffindor? That would be the question.

_You have the traits of a true Slytherin._

_Slytherin? _The boy asked, surprised with what the hat was saying, _How am I like a Slytherin?_

_You are ambitious and resourceful. Slytherin would do you well. _

_No one has ever told me that I would be a good Slytherin. Besides, all the dark wizards go there._

_Not everyone in Slytherin is bad, _the hat said, tired of this stereotype, _It is just that the most dark wizards are in Slytherin._

_But I am not evil and I never will be._

_That is something that can only be told by time._

_I am not evil, Peter thought angrily._

_I never said you were. _The hat said, getting a little annoyed, _As I was saying, Slytherin would do you well. However you also have some traits of a Gryffindor._

_Gryffindor? Oh, yes. I would love to be in Gryffindor. Can you put me there? _Peter asked hopefully.

_I would, _said the hat truthfully, _But I am not sure whether it is the right house for you._

_But my friends are all in there. I would really like to be in the same house as them._

_Do you believe you show the traits of a Gryffindor?_

_Yes, _the young boy said eagerly, _I can be really brave and, and I'm really loyal. I'm a really good friend._

_I will not deny what you are saying but Slytherin would be the best house for you. _The hat didn't remember having such trouble choosing a house for a student in a long time.

_I really want to be in Gryffindor. Can you please put me there? I don't want to be in Slytherin._

_Are you sure about that? _asked the hat,_ Many powerful wizards were once in Slytherin. Merlin himself was a Slytherin._

_Really? _the hat knew that the boy was very tempted. It seemed as though power was something he desired.

_Yes, however if you really want to be in Gryffindor, I can certainly put you there._

Peter thought about the three boys he had met on the train. They were smart and funny. They would probably be powerful too. Two of them had already been sorted into Gryffindor and he was sure the third boy, who was to be sorted after him, would become a Gryffindor as well.

_I think I want to be in Gryffindor._

_Alright then, _the hat was not entirely sure of its decision but shouted out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Everyone in the Great Hall started. They had been waiting for six and a half minutes for Peter Pettigrew to be sorted. That was much longer than any first year had taken this year. The last time the hat had remembered taking longer than five minutes to sort someone was when it sorted Minerva McGonagall. The same Minerva McGonagall that was standing next to the hat right now. The hat knew that the students and staff of Hogwarts would consider the boy's sorting a Hatstall. This meant that the hat had taken more than five minutes to sort a student.

Everyone watched as Peter walked happily to the Gryffindor table, those who sat there took a moment to start their applause. He sat down next to Remus and Sirius, both who looked very surprised to see him but smiled nonetheless and let him join in on their conversation.

"Potter, James." said Minerva McGonagall. The boy that Sirius had been talking to walked confidently to the stage. He had messy jet-black hair and hazel eyes. He sat down and the hat went over his head.

_Hello there, _the boy said, showing no sign of nervousness.

_Ah, you are an easy one to sort._

_You're going to put me in Gryffindor, aren't you? _

_Why yes, _the hat did not always get to make such an easy decision, _I am going to put you in Gryffindor._

_Great, I always knew that I would be in Gryffindor. _His voice was smug.

_You did, didn't you._

_Yes, I did, _James said confidently, _I knew that I would be in Gryffindor. Just like my father. _There was great pride in his voice.

_Well, there is certainly no doubt that you belong in Gryffindor._

_I know._

_You are brave and loyal._

_Thank you very much._

And then, without a single doubt, the hat shouted for all to hear, "GRYFFINDOR!"

James smiled and walked towards the Gryffindor table with a spring in his step. He sat down and the applause for him died down. He talked with Sirius, Remus and Peter, four soon to be close friends. Lily who was sitting next to him, seemed very annoyed and turned away when he tried to talk to her.

The hat sorted two students who just so happened to be twins. To everyone's great surprise, one was sorted into Ravenclaw and the other went to Hufflepuff. The two twins seemed very disappointed at not being sorted into the same house.

"Snape, Severus." said Minerva McGonagall. The pale boy who had been talking to Lily walked up the stage. He had a pallid look about him, much like a plant kept in the dark. He sat down and the hat was placed over his head.

_Why hello there, _the hat said pleasantly.

_Hello, _the boy, like James, showed no sign of nervousness.

_Ambitious I see, _said the hat, _very determined as well._

_Yes, I am. _Severus seemed quite self-assured.

_Desire to put people in their place._

_That's not true._

_I see things differently, _the hat thought into the young boy's head.

_Oh, really?_

_Yes, there are certain people who you want punished, and you want to be the one to do it, _the hat told the youngster. It was true. The hat caught snips and bits of memories floating in the boy's head. A man was yelling at a cowering woman as a boy cried in the corner. The same man was throwing a boy onto the floor.

_How did you know that? Are you a Legilimens?_

_Why yes, I am._

_You have no right going into my memories like that. _Severus thought angrily.

_Well it helps me sort youngsters like you into the house best suited for them. It also tells me that you are quite a powerful wizard._

_Really?_

_Yes, not a lot of eleven-year olds already know, practice and create spells._

_Oh, thanks._

_You are quite brave as well._

_You're going to put me in Slytherin though, right?_

_That does seem like the best house for you. However, Gryffindor would also do you good._

_Gryffindor? _The boy asked in disbelief. _No way!_

_Have it your way then, _the hat, mostly satisfied with its decision, shouted out, "SLYTHERIN!"

Severus smirked and walked towards the Slytherin table. He sat down, happy with his sorting. He didn't start up a conversation like many of his peers. But, instead waited until a blonde boy introduced himself, then they began to talk.

The hat sorted a couple more students and Minerva McGonagall concluded the Sorting Ceremony. The hat was carried of to Dumbledore's office, where it would stay for another whole year. It thought about the students it had sorted. The hat was happy with the choices it had made. After all, it was just another year.


End file.
